By Muslim Mirror Network
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Sunday, January 28, ending his party’s 18-month ruling alliance with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress.
This move comes amid speculation that Nitish Kumar and his Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), may exit the 28-party INDIA alliance and join hands with BJP-led NDA, once again.
The 72-year-old leader indicated that he was not feeling happy with the way things were in the Mahagathbandhan in the state as well as the INDIA bloc that he helped take shape but which failed to adequately recognise his efforts.
“I will make a new gathbandhan. Old gathbandhan was not in good shape. I have dissolved the government in the state. Things were not going well. Bihar government was in bad shape,” said Nitish Kumar
#WATCH | Patna | Bihar outgoing CM and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar says, "Today, I have resigned as the Chief Minister and I have also told the Governor to dissolve the government in the state. This situation came because not everything was alright…I was getting views from… pic.twitter.com/wOVGFJSKKH
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2024
“I have exited the Mahagathbandhan,” said Kumar after leaving Raj Bhawan.
“I was making all efforts to make the INDIA bloc running, but no response was coming (from anyone). I decided to resign after taking views of all,” said Kumar.
JD(U) spokesperson K C Tyagi told reporters in Delhi that the grand alliance government in Bihar is on the verge of collapse and accused a section of the Congress leadership of repeatedly “insulting” Kumar.
“The INDIA bloc is on the verge of collapse. The alliance of INDIA bloc parties is almost over in Punjab, West Bengal and Bihar,” he said.
In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP’s 78; the JD(U) has 45, the Congress’s 19, the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation has 12, two each of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) has four , and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has one, plus one Independent legislator.
The NDA has a strength of 127 MLAs to 116 (with one independent) of the grand alliance. The majority mark in the 243-member Bihar assembly is 122. ( With ANI inputs )